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Between runes and manuscripts (completed)

Between runes and manuscripts there were the Roman-alphabet inscriptions. This is the first comprehensive study of these inscriptions and the role they played in the Norwegian Viking and Middle Ages.

Book with brown wooden cover. Photo.

The Kvikne-psalter (NBO Ms.8vo 102).

Photo: Elise Kleivane

About the project

The project Between runes and manuscripts. Roman-alphabet inscriptions in Viking Age and Medieval Norway focused on a category of written documents that has received remarkably little attention: inscriptions from Norway written in Roman-alphabet script. Norwegian manuscripts and runic inscriptions are already thoroughly described and analysed.

The primary objective for this project was to provide a comprehensive study of Roman-alphabet inscriptions from Viking Age and Medieval Norway. Roman-alphabet inscriptions are not sufficiently documented or studied as a whole. It is not possible to understand Viking Age and Medieval literacy unless the implications of the triangular relationship between manuscripts, runes and Roman-alphabet epigraphy are sorted out. This relationship cannot be sorted out without a full study also of the Roman-alphabet inscriptions.

Roman-alphabet inscriptions are found on a wide range of objects. The oldest examples from Norway are coins. Later we get inscribed grave stones, church bells, church decorations and liturgical objects such as chalices. Outside of churches there are inscriptions on lead sheets, drinking horns, seals and jewellery – to mention some examples. In addition there are several inscriptions that must be characterized as graffiti. Interestingly, most of these types of objects are also found among the runic material.

The project was set up in two stages. Both stages contributed to meet the primary objective. The first stage was to construct a database for Norwegian Roman-alphabet inscriptions. The database was be the foundation for further analysis within the project’s second stage, where Roman-alphabet epigraphy was analysed in order to meet the project’s secondary objectives:

  • To demonstrate how the foreign Roman script introduced in the Viking Age was transformed into a vernacular script;
  • to bring forth new knowledge about the uses and functions of writing outside manuscripts; and
  • to determine whether Roman-alphabet inscriptions are best understood in relation to runic inscriptions because both are epigraphic, or to the learned and imported manuscript culture because they are written with Roman letters, or if they are best understood as a writing culture of their own.

Project period

The project period was from August 2017 to February 2021.

Financing

The Research Council of Norway

Cooperation

Centre for the Study of the Viking Age, The University of Nottingham

Events

Events organized by the project and events where the project presents research results.

Leeds International Medieval Congress

Leeds International Medieval Congress (1–4 July 2019)

The project presented research results at the session "Inscribed In: Epigraphy and Materiality in Medieval Scandinavia", organized by Johan Bollaert and Karen Langsholt Holmqvist (Social Sciences Building, Room 10.07, at 16:30–18:00 pm). Moderator: Stefka G. Eriksen.


Round-table in Oslo

Round-table in Oslo (29–30 April 2019)

Elise Kleivane presented her research in the paper "Multilingualism in Medieval Scandinavia" at the round-table Multilingual practices organized by Aneta Pavlenkova and Pia Lane.


Second RUL-seminar

Second RUL-seminar (17–18 January 2019)

Johan Bollaert, Karen Langsholt Holmqvist and Elise Kleivane presented research results for the Research Network for Urban Literacy in Aarhus.


Workshop in Notthingham

Workshop in Nottingham (16 March 2019)

The project's first workshop at the University of Nottingham: "Writing and the Vikings".


First RUL-seminar

The first RUL-seminar(17 August 2018)

Elise Kleivane presented the project and some research results for the Research Network for Urban Literacy in Copehagen.


Runråd in Uppsala

Runråd in Uppsala (21 February 2019)

Johan Bollaert presents his PhD-research.


Full day Runråd in Uppsala

Full day Runråd in Uppsala (27 April 2018)

Project invited to present our work on the database and our research goals.

Publications

  • Kleivane, Elise (2022). Saints in Everyday Life: Epigraphy as a Source for the Medieval Cult of Saints. In Bø, Ragnhild M. & Sigurdsson, Jon Vidar (Ed.), The Cult of Saints in Nidaros Archbishopric Manuscripts, Miracles, Objects. Brepols. ISSN 978-2-503-59114-8.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2021). Roman-Script Epigraphy in Norwegian Towns. In Andersen, Kasper H.; Netterstrøm, Jeppe Büchert; Imer, Lisbeth M.; Poulsen, Bjørn & Olesen, Rikke Steenholt (Ed.), Urban Literacy in the Nordic Middle Ages. Brepols. ISSN 978-2-503-59674-7. p. 105–134. doi: 10.1484/M.USML-EB.5.126234.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2021). Kulisteinen og kommunikasjonen. In Stige, Morten & Risbøl, Ole (Ed.), Kulisteinen - grensemerke i tid og rom. Nordmøre museum. ISSN 9788292264287. p. 152–171.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2021). Skrift og språk i mellomalderen. Ms.8° 102, Kvikne-psalteret. In Ostad, Johanne & Kleivane, Elise (Ed.), Språk i arkivet. Historier om hvordan språk reflekterer samfunnet. Nasjonalbiblioteket. ISSN 978-82-7965-465-0. p. 28–59.
  • Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2021). Dating Medieval Roman Alphabet Inscriptions– An Example from Hallvard’s Cathedral in Oslo. Collegium Medievale. ISSN 0801-9282. 24. Full text in Research Archive
  • Kleivane, Elise (2019). To menn og Ave Maria i Hamarkaupangen . Maal og Minne. ISSN 0024-855X. p. 69–99. Full text in Research Archive
  • Kleivane, Elise (2018). Epigraphic Ave Maria as evidence of medieval literacy. In Bauer, Alessia; Kleivane, Elise & Spurkland, Terje (Ed.), Epigraphy in an intermedial context. Four Courts Press. ISSN 9781846827167. p. 101–122.

View all works in Cristin

  • Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2022). Runic and Roman alphabet tombs in medieval Norway - exceptions in a digraphic society?
  • Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2022). Kors och tvärs: om interpunktion i Uppsalas runstenar. Exemplet U 942.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2022). Who you gonna call? Choices between script systems when asking for intercession.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2022). Samtale i panel om kunstprosjektet til Chan-Hyo Bae "Voyage to Valhalla".
  • Kleivane, Elise (2022). Norrønt: kristindómr.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2021). Grafeminventar og bokstavformer i norske sigill frå mellomalderen.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2021). Kulisteinen (N449). Lesing, tolking og kommunikasjonen.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2021). Bokstavar mellom runer og manuskript. NFR-prosjekt.
  • Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2021). Epigraphy and place: "Hamar-I".
  • Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2021). Visuality and literacy in medieval norwegian epigraphy.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2021). A til Å.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2021). Runene på Bildentekstilet: fagseminar.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2021). A matter of invisibility.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2021). Norrønt: hjalpa.
  • Kleivane, Elise & Mari, Lilleslåtten (2020). Noreg har vore fleirspråkleg sidan før mellomalderen. [Internet]. hf.uio.no.
  • Kleivane, Elise & Lilleslåtten, Mari (2020). Korleis gjekk vi frå å bruke runer til å skrive med bokstavar? [Internet]. UiO: Det humanistiske fakultet (Facebook).
  • Lilleslåtten, Mari (2020). Noreg har vore fleirspråkleg heilt sidan mellomalderen.
  • Bollaert, Johan (2019). literacitet och visualitet i norges medeltida inskrifter.
  • Bollaert, Johan (2019). Visuality and Literacy in Medieval Norwegian Epigraphy.
  • Bollaert, Johan (2019). Visible inscriptions in urban and rural Norway.
  • Bollaert, Johan (2019). Material directing form? - The design of public inscriptions on stone.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2019). Politics, prayers, and protection in Hamar.
  • Bollaert, Johan (2019). Unusual Interpunction: (a lack of) Literacy?
  • Kleivane, Elise (2019). Messages from a wooden book cover.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2019). Runer og bokstavar på Domkirkeodden og i Hamar bispedømme.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2019). Frösöstenen: ein nabo i nord.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2019). Multilingualism in Medieval Scandinavia.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2019). Runene på Bildentekstilet.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2019). Metal texts. A discussion on metal as medium for writing, and the implications it has for textual content and choice of script.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2019). The many faces of Stjórn.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2019). "Hvordan skrev folk for 1000 år siden?". [Internet]. forskning.no.
  • Bollaert, Johan (2019). Gravstenarnas placering, skriftens läsbarhet och minnet efter de döda - Två gravstenar från Hallvardskatedralen.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2018). Doing things in medieval Norway with Roman-alphabet inscriptions.
  • Kleivane, Elise & Bollaert, Johan (2018). <authority>Bokstavar mellom runer og manuskript</authority>.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2018). NBO Ms. 8vo 102, Kvikne-psalteriet.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2018). N 825 og Birger Jørstad.
  • Kleivane, Elise (2018). Tatoveringar, gaming, nynazistar og naive strikkebedrifter.
  • Bollaert, Johan (2018). Roman Alphabet Epigraphy in Medieval Scandinavia - A Writing Culture?
  • Bollaert, Johan (2018). HER:HVILIR or her:hvilir - Carving Traditions in Medieval Norway.
  • Bollaert, Johan (2017). Roman alphabetical inscriptions – A writing culture in Scandinavia?
  • Bollaert, Johan Georges P; Kleivane, Elise & Blennow, Anna Holst (2022). Visuality and Literacy in the Medieval Epigraphy of Norway. Universitetet i Oslo.

View all works in Cristin

Tags: Roman-alphabet script, Runes, Manuscripts, Old Norse, Latin, Middle Low German, Medieval period, Middle Ages, Viking Age, Inscriptions, Epigraphy
Published Feb. 14, 2017 2:13 PM - Last modified Dec. 8, 2023 3:53 PM

Contact

Project leader

Elise Kleivane